Incoming
by TVFanoftheYear
Summary: She was the brightest star in his universe, and always would be.


_My first #NoRita fic. Partially inspired by the Echosmith song "So Bright." Enjoy!_

* * *

He cleared his throat. "I want to thank you for all your help, Oliver."

Oliver finished straightening his tie, "You are most certainly welcome, Norman, but I can't say I have done much to aid you in this endeavor. It was you who came to me, after all."

"Yeah, I suppose that's true," Norman agreed, straightening his suit jacket.

"How are you getting there."

"Ummm, my moped?" Norman replied.

Oliver looked at Norman quizzically, but reserved judgment.

"Yeah, I guess I could have thought that one through more…." Norman admitted.

"Not a problem," Oliver interrupted. He made his way from the mirror he and Norman were standing in front of in the DLO and opened his desk drawer.

"Catch," he called.

Norman's excellent reflexes caught the airborne object with one hand. He held it up.

"The keys to the Jag?" Norman identified, "Oh, Oliver, I can't-"

"You will not take Rita that distance on the back of your moped," Oliver reasoned. "Besides, you've earned this moment. It has been a long time coming."

It was only a ten-minute drive, but Norman graciously accepted Oliver's offer. The kind act overwhelmed him.

"Thanks, Oliver," he said, meeting Oliver between his desk, and Oliver's, to give him a hug. Oliver returned it.

"Now, remember not to keep yourselves out too late. I expect you both here on time for our daily work to begin tomorrow," Oliver asserted.

"You got it, boss," Norman confirmed, saluting him.

They both laughed.

* * *

"So, where is he taking you?" Shane asked, gathering Rita's hair over to one side for a side ponytail.

"Chamberlain Observatory," Rita replied gleefully.

"I didn't know you were into stars, Rita."

"I'm not. Well, not really. I like to look at them a lot, but it's hard to do in the city, you know," Rita replied.

"So he's taking you to see them at the observatory," Shane sighed, curling a portion of Rita's ponytail, "How romantic..."

"I know," Rita squealed, "And he says we'll be able to do dinner there and use the telescope, too!"

"Does he know how to use it?" Shane wondered, imagining the massive structure.

"I think he said something about a Prof. Irving being there to help us," Rita recalled. "I am still trying to figure out how he arranged all this!"

"I am sure whatever he did, it was to impress you, Rita," Shane replied, putting the final touches on her hair.

Rita pushed her glasses up on her nose, "That's so sweet and wonderful, but he doesn't need to do that-being with him is enough."

They smiled at each other through the mirror in the ladies' convenience where they were set up.

"Time to meet Norman," Shane said.

* * *

She stepped into the DLO in a green, A-line, knee-length cotton dress. Just the sight of her took Norman's breath away.

"You look...fantastic," Norman complimented, still deciding if he had truly chosen the correct descriptor for her beauty.

"So do you," she giggled.

A short silence descended upon the room as Norman and Rita took a moment to appreciate this new chapter they were stepping into. Shane and Oliver, who for all intents and purposes had watched their clumsy, but beautiful, love story play out, looked on.

Oliver coughed behind him.

"Oh, uh, these are for you," Norman fumbled, turning around to retrieve from Oliver the bouquet he had gotten Rita.

He closed the few steps of distance between them and handed off the rather elaborate bouquet of spring flowers.

"Oh, Norman, they are absolutely beautiful," she said, giving him a partial hug so as not to crush the flowers. "Thank you."

Norman, surprised by the hug, but pleased to see Rita so happy, returned it with a smile.

"You are very welcome," Norman replied, putting on his trademark sunglasses. "Well, we better get going. Don't want to keep the professor waiting."

"You kids have fun," Oliver wished them.

Norman and Rita turned to leave, Rita handing her bouquet off to Shane as she neared the door.

"Oh, Rita, don't forget this," Shane reminded her, handing Rita her light sweater for the evening as she and Norman prepared to leave.

Both Rita and Norman waved discreetly to their respective mentors without the other's knowledge before heading out. Both Oliver and Shane waved back.

"I am so excited for them," Shane commented, as soon she believed they were out of earshot. Her voice was an octave higher than usual as if repressing a squeal.

"Norman has quite an evening planned. I am sure they will have a good time," Oliver affirmed.

Shane crossed to Oliver's side of the room, meeting him halfway between his desk and the door.

"Did you say that thing you told me you were going to say about being back on time?" Shane inquired.

Oliver looked sheepish for a second, "I may have said something to that effect prior to your and Rita's arrival…"

"You're impossible," she laughed.

"What you mean to say, Ms. McInerney, is that I'm efficient and I take our work seriously, " he retorted.

"If that's what you want to call it," Shane replied playfully, coming to his side and wrapping her arm around his waist, her gaze towards the recently shut door.

"They grow up so fast," Oliver sighed, joining her in the moment. "It seems we have the evening to ourselves," he observed after a few moment of silence. He left it open as if he might have some suggestion as to how it should be spent.

"That we do," Shane agreed.

"I'm thinking dinner, if you would do me the honor of joining me," Oliver said, squeezing Shane's shoulder, which he had his arm draped around.

"I thought you would never ask."

* * *

"I still can't believe Oliver let you have the Jag," Rita marveled.

"I can't believe I got it here in one piece," Norman said with a relieved sigh as he pulled into Observatory Park.

Dusk had fallen and it was getting dark. Remembering Professor Irving's instructions to cut off the headlights to reduce light pollution that might interfere with stargazing, he switched them off.

"Geez, it's getting really dark back here," Norman said, driving the car impossibly slow to avoid potential dangers.

"You might want to take those sunglasses off," Rita suggested.

"Yeah, that, uh, might help," Norman agreed, removing them. "Yep, much better."

"I think I see it, Norman."

They came upon the warmly lit observatory, the only sign of light between entrance to the park and the narrow road they traveled now. A tall man, whose mode of dress matched Norman's on a typical day, stood at its entrance as if waiting for someone.

Norman parked the Jag along the side of the road, and the two prepared to leave the vehicle.

"Rita, wait just a second," Norman said, shoving the keys in his pocket before dashing to the other side of the car to get Rita's door. The act elicited a smile from his date, which gave Norman deep satisfaction.

"Welcome to Chamberlain Observatory," The man greeted.

"Professor Irving, nice to finally meet you in person," Norman replied, offering his hand.

"You must be Norman. It's nice to put a face to a voice!" Professor Irving said before turning his attention to Rita. "And this must be Ms. Rita Haywith, with an 'i'! Welcome!"

"Why, yes, it is!" Rita laughed, shaking his hand.

"Come with me!" the professor announced, leading them into the observatory.

They stepped inside the circular building, and traveled amongst plaques and artifacts outlining the observatory's history.

"This observatory was donated to the University of Denver by Humphrey Barker Chamberlin in 1888 when the University broke ground on it," Prof. Irving explained, as he showed them around the first circular floor.

"The history of this place is fascinating if you're ever interested in learning more," he continued, stopping in front of a large chalkboard, flanked by two distinct, curved sections of seats on the left and right sides.

"This is a little trippy, even for me, and I've been here for years. You look left, you have an audience; you look to the right, there's also audience. Astronomy students occupy this place regularly during the school year. The Astronomy and Physics Departments have really made an effort to support the observatory and include it into the curricula. But let's get to the good stuff."

The historic site fascinated Rita and Norman as they followed Professor Irving up a narrow set of stairs to the second floor dome room.

Prof. Irving opened the door, and what was on the other side took Rita's breath away.

The room was lined with small lanterns that did the work of lighting the room. Along a far wall was small table set for two. The focal point of the room was the large telescope, which required a short climb up a ladder to reach its viewfinder.

"My goodness," Rita whispered, taking a step towards the looming structure.

"Isn't she beautiful?" Professor Irving said of the telescope. "It's a Clark and Saegmuller telescope, with a 20-inch aperture and is 28 feet in length. It has seen many a historic find."

"It seems like it's a pretty clear night," Norman commented.

"That it is Norman. And perfect for viewing," Professor Irving agreed, climbing up the ladder to adjust the telescope towards the southeast sky, "Mercury and Mars are something to behold this time of year. Rita, would you like to come see?"

"Oh, uh, of course," She agreed, removing her navy blue heels to climb the steps towards the viewfinder. Norman took her sweater from her and grabbed her shoes from the floor.

Professor Irving offered Rita his hand so she could climb up the ladder before taking a place next to Norman.

"Thank you for letting us come, Professor," Norman whispered.

"My pleasure, Norman. I love to encourage fellow astro-enthusiasts," he replied. "Besides, your cousin Wade helped me and my wife find our dream home, it's the least I could do in return."

"Norman, you have to come see this!" Rita whispered enthusiastically, "I've never seen something so beautiful!"

Norman pulled out one of the chairs at the small table behind him and set Rita's things down to trade places with her at the telescope.

As Rita turned to climb back down the ladder, Norman offered her his hand. The joy on her face was evident, and Norman felt a sense of pride for playing a part in bringing out that joy. He didn't want to let go of the moment or her hand, but he wanted to see whatever heavenly bodies Rita observed.

Norman was in awe of what he saw. Usually an unmoving orb in the sky, Mercury suddenly had distinct features that he could discern and admire.

"Pretty neat," he said aloud, before disembarking the ladder. "Suddenly they don't seem so far away."

"Didn't you have something you wanted to look at, Norman?" Prof. Irving inquired as Norman backed off the last step. "Do you happen to have the coordinates?"

He had almost forgotten. Norman pulled a note card out of the inner coat pocket of his suit and handed it to the Professor.

"I will just set this up and leave you two to it," He announced as he climbed the ladder once more.

"Norman, this is so…wonderful," Rita sighed dreamily.

"I am so glad you're enjoying it," Norman replied, knowing that their evening was only moments away from getting that much better.

"I think we're all set. Come take a look."

Norman gestured for Rita to go first.

"Okay," she smiled.

As Rita made her way to the telescope, Norman retrieved a scrolled piece of paper from the table that had been waiting for this moment all evening. Professor Irving excused himself, leaving Rita and Norman alone.

"So, what am I looking at here," Rita inquired innocently.

Norman remained quiet for a second, hoping it would cause her attention to draw back from the heavens and into the observatory. It worked.

Rita looked around, perplexed, "Wait, where did he go?"

She was beautiful, perched on the top step of the ladder. The vintage aura of the telescope complimented her like nothing he had ever seen before. Norman almost forgot to respond to her question.

"Rita," Norman began, making his way to the base of the ladder, "What do you think of the star?"

"It's beautiful. Stars are so…wondrous."

"The star you're looking at has a name," Norman replied, revealing the scroll he had hidden behind his back and handing it to Rita.

She eagerly opened the scroll and began to read.

"The International Star Registry," Rita began, "Be it known to all that the Star herein designated in the scientifically renowned Smithsonian Astronomical Observatory compendium as 123741 Betelgeuse, and residing within the boundaries of constellation Orion, "The Hunter," is hereby renamed in honor of Rita Haywith as 'Incoming'."

Norman smiled as he listened to her read.

"Renamed by her co-worker and constant admirer, Norman Dorman…."

"You're the brightest star in my universe, and always will be," they said together, Rita reading it, as Norman recited it from memory.

Norman watched her eyes glaze over, causing the color in her eyes to dance.

"This is the most beautiful thing," she managed to get out.

"I had it named for you," He explained. "I wanted to name it after you, but I figured there were probably a lot of Rita's out there in the world. I wanted you to know it was yours, so I named it after your favorite place in the DLO, 'incoming', because that's where you work."

Rita determinedly disembarked the ladder and stood face-to-face with Norman, grabbing him into a hug.

"Thank you," she sniffled.

Norman, for the first time, truly embraced Rita, rubbing her back tenderly. Rita pulled out of the hug slightly, but not out of Norman's arms. He loved being that close to Rita.

Norman gently brushed her check with the back of his hand adoringly, and Rita closed the distance between them, initiating a kiss. There was no place either of them wanted to be than sharing this perfect moment.

When they pulled out of the kiss, the two of them were all smiles.

"I don't think this evening could get anymore perfect," Rita said.

"I don't know about that," Norman teased. "I believe Jerusalem artichokes may make an appearance at dinner."

Rita meant the world to Norman, and he was determined to make her the center of his universe for as long as he existed in it.

* * *

 _Hope you enjoyed it!_


End file.
